


Grooming

by DragonOfChanges



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angel Wings, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Castiel (Supernatural), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt, Hurt Jack, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Nephilim, Teaching, Wing Grooming, Wing Oil, Wingfic, Wings, preening
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-30
Updated: 2019-03-30
Packaged: 2019-12-26 15:49:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18285404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonOfChanges/pseuds/DragonOfChanges
Summary: PLATONIC wing grooming session between Jack and Castiel. No smut or incest here!Set after Jack kills Alt!Michael.





	Grooming

**Author's Note:**

> Posted from my phone. Forgive any errors.

Castiel could tell that something was troubling Jack. Was the adjustment to the return of his powers? Maybe it was his soul…or lack thereof? First he had refused one of Deans ‘awesome’ bacon cheeseburgers, and then he had yelled at Sam when the younger Winchester asked jokingly if he felt all right. 

“I’m FINE! Why can’t everyone just leave me ALONE?” Jumping up, Jack stomped off to his room, slamming the door behind him. The Winchesters finished their meal in awkward silence and then left on a supply run. Castiel went to talk to the boy, hoping he'd had enough time to cool down. 

The angel understood, somewhat, the need for ”personal space” during trying times. However, the kicked puppy look on Sams face at Jacks outburst had him drawing a line. He would not tolerate such disrespectful behavior towards the Winchesters, even from the most powerful nephilim ever to exist. Taking a deep breath, he raised a hand to knock on Jacks door, but before he could, a voice interrupted.

“Come in, Castiel. I know it's you.” Jack said softly. Cas entered, closing the door behind him. Jack was seated on his bed, hands in his lap and eyes lowered. Leaning on the closed door, Cas cleared his throat.

“Jack, I know you're having difficulties adjusting to all of the sudden changes, but Sam was really hurt-” Cas stopped as Jack rolled his shoulders, then began to shake and whimper. He looked up at the seraph, tears of pain and confusion in his eyes. He continued to wiggle and twitch.

“Not again!! Please, make it stop! It hurts! Itches! Burns!.” Jack whined lowly.

“Where? Tell me where.” Castiel said, putting a gentle hand on his arm. “Maybe I can help you.”

“My back, my shoulders…please!” Cas put a hand on Jacks back. The boy flinched, but didn’t pull away. The angel reached out with his Grace, searching... His confused look was quickly replaced by one of understanding. He turned Jack to face him.

“Its your wings Jack.”Jack tilted his head, puzzled.

“My wings? What about them?” Cas paused, looking for the right words to explain. Best to keep it simple, for now.

“After you...killed the other Michael and ate his Grace, when you brought your wings out of the other plane of being where they are kept, you did it too fast.” Jack gave a panicked look.

“Are they broken?” He whispered.

“Bringing them out too quickly can put parts of them out of alignment, so to speak. They’re not broken, though. They just need to be groomed.” Jacks shoulders slumped in relief, momentarily, then began to twitch anew.

“How do I do that?” He asked, trying hard to control the movement his predicament was causing. Cas sighed.

“Its not something an angel, or a nephilim, can really do for themselves. Grooming is a private, intimate thing. It’s a a show of trust, a bond forged between family members...In Heaven, we groomed each others wings.“ He finished quietly. Jack looked at the older angel.

“Father, will you...will you groom my wings?” he asked. Cas felt his eyes tear up. Father. Jack considered him his father, not Lucifer. He smiled widely at the earnest young man.

“Of course, Jack. I’d be honored.” Jack had another question.

“So how...if they aren't corporeal, solid, on this plane...how can you groom them?.”

“When you pulled them out, before, they were only halfway between here and the plane where they are kept. It is possible to bring them all the way here, and to make them solid, but it’s somewhat more difficult than what you did.” Jack nodded as Cas continued. ”We need to do this somewhere where there is more room. Sam and Dean have left the Bunker, and they'll be gone for a while. Let's take this to the War Room. 

************

 

“The best way for you to learn is for me to show you how its done, first. Then you can try." He stepped back from the table, removing his coat, tie, jacket, and the shirt underneath. Jack gave him a confused look as he hung them all on a nearby chair. "Clothes get torn by solid wings going through them. This is much easier than repairing them." Jack nodded as Cas continued, standing in front of him. “Put your hands in mine, and close your eyes”

“But how will I..?”

“Just...trust me.” Jack put his hands in Castiels larger ones and closed his eyes.

“Now, reach out with your Grace, and find my Grace. Use that connection to see, to feel what I’m doing.” Castiel bowed his head, focusing his attention on his wings. Soon large black shadows formed behind him, stretching slowly to either side. Shadows almost twice his height in their width.

“That's half.” He said through their connection. “Now…” The shadows stretched further, and began to shimmer. They became almost fluid, and then began to darken. Individual feathers quickly formed over a framework of muscle, skin, and bone. Once they were solid, the resulting appendages were much like the wings of a large bird of prey. 

“I see.“ Jack said before opening his eyes. When he did open them, his jaw dropped. The wings before him were black, but in the light of the room, they shimmered with iridescent bits of purple and green. They were huge, and strong.

“They're...magnificent.” He whispered, awestruck. Cas ducked his head, blushing.

“They’re a seraphs wings. Nothing special. Not like an Archangels, or a Nephilims.” He said softly. “But thank you.” Hesitantly, Jack held out a hand.

“Can I...may I touch them?” Cas nodded. Leaning forward, Jack gently stroked along one of the long flight feathers.

“They're...soft, but I can feel their strength and resilience.” Cas nodded.

“In battle, they can be made as hard and sharp as a swords edge.They can become formidable weapons. One day I will teach you. But for now..." He tucked his wings up behind him, out of the way, and turned to Jack.

It's your turn.” After baring the top half of his body, Jack sat down in a chair Castiel pulled out for him. He closed his eyes and brought his own wings out in shadow. Now for the hard part. His brow furrowed as he struggled to bring them the rest of the way into being. Castiel put a hand on his shoulder and used his own Grace to help the young nephilim finish his task. Soon a pair of spectacular wings stretched out behind him. Castiel could see immediately why Jack was in so much discomfort. The wings looked like Sams hair did first thing in the morning, bits sticking out every which way. But even in their disheveled state, they were stunning. The span was half again as large as Castiel's own, as was befitting of Jacks heritage. They were white, as Lucifer's had been before his Fall, but had speckles of brown like Michael's, and the very tips were grey. That was his mothers influence, maybe? Or… He shook off the stray thought as mere vanity, and set to work.

“Now I can do this properly.” He circled behind Jack, ducking under an outstretched wing. Touching gently at the base of the right wing, he then began to card his fingers through the feathers. He used his Grace to help, making sure each was in alignment with the others. He straightened those that were bent, and removed the few that were broken. Jack flinched and hissed when he did this, but said nothing. Castiel worked his way from the center of the wing outward, quickly remembering the rhythm of the task at hand. It had been much too long since he had been able to enjoy the closeness of grooming.

Soon enough he had finished the right wing, and then the left. He made quick work of the front sides of both wings, which were in much less disorder. He paused, and cupped his hands, focusing his Grace. A clear, sweet smelling liquid appeared in them. Jack sniffed at it.

”What is that?” 

“Wing oil. My wing oil. To coat and protect your feathers. You're very young, and your oil glands haven't fully developed yet. They will, soon, but for now this will suffice.” He circled behind Jack, and once again carded through the feathers, coating them. The warmth of the oil on his wings, and its scent of wildflowers and spring rain soon had Jack relaxing into Castiels touch. By the time the feathers of both wings had been coated, Jacks eyes drooped, half closed. The angel chuckled.

“Grooming had the same effect on the Hatchlings in Heaven. It’s how we got them to settle in and rest.” Jack gave him a puzzled look.

”Hatchlings?” He asked.

“The newborn angels in Heaven, our young ones.” Jack sat up, frowning.

“I’m not an infant.” He snapped, indignant at the implication that he was small and helpless. He was Lucifers son, not some chick newly born. Cas took his hands once more, rubbing circles with his thumbs until Jack settled.

“I know you’re not, but you are very new, very young. And I enjoy taking care of you, as I once did them…” Jacks anger faded as he noticed Castiels sad smile.

“Do you miss it? Grooming the little ones? Being groomed by the other angels?” He asked.

“Yes, but Heaven hasn’t had any new Hatchlings since long before Father...left." And no one left in Heaven would touch me now, much less groom my wings, he thought. But Jack didn't need to know that. 

“That must have been hard. Your Father leaving.” Cas nodded. 

“It was. But now I understand why He did.” He sighed. “That’s a long story, though.”

“You can tell me the story while I groom your wings.” Cas' head snapped up, his eyes wide in surprise. He hadn’t expected this, to be offered to be groomed in return. Helping Jack through his discomfort was enough. He started to back away.

“You don't have to do that.” Jack stood, stepping up and putting a hand on his shoulder.

“I want to. Please, Castiel, may I groom your wings?” Teary eyed, touched by the boys offer, he nodded. He sat down in the chair that Jack had occupied, and spread his wings wide. As Jack groomed the raven wings, Castiel told the tale of his Fathers recent visit to Earth. Of His sister, Amara, of Lucifers possession of his own vessel. Of Lucifers conversation and temporary reconciliation with their Father. In the end, it had all worked out. Dean lived. Sam lived. Humanity survived, again. Lucifer was still an issue, but thanks to the fallen Archangel, Castiel had this wonderful young man that he considered his own child. Jack sighed, dropping his hands.

“Ok, the feathers are all straight. Where do I get the oil? You mentioned oil glands?” Cas nodded, stretching his wings to full extension.

“At the base of each wing is a small lump. Squeeze them gently, and coat your fingers in the oil that comes out. Then do as I did and coat the feathers.” Jack ran his hands down the inside of each wing, finding the glands and collecting the oil. As the young one worked the oil into his feathers, Cas marveled at how good it felt to be groomed. To be touched. The connection with another of his kind...He loved the Winchesters. They were his family, but oh how he’d missed this! He reached his Grace out, touching Jacks as he worked. Along the small tendril he sent the happiness, the gratitude for having Jack in his life, the…Behind him, Jack smiled.

“I love you too, Dad."

**Author's Note:**

> The usual non ownership stuff...


End file.
